Big Bang for the Buck!
Written: Mar 05 '03 (Updated Sep 01 '03)
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Pros: Big Bang for the Buck! Sharp and Fast!
Cons: Only 128mb memory.
The Bottom Line: Home user: Buy It...Great Deal!
Power user: Buy it but add more memory!
Gamer: You need a more powerful computer.
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| techiejoe's Full Review: Dell Dimension 2350 (D235RL) PC Desktop |
I bought this computer in December, 2003, and I love it! I'm updating this review mostly to note the difference the 256mb of additional memory I installed has made. While relatively fast with only 128mb, my pc would often bog down and freeze up while multi-tasking. Since I upgraded to 384mb of memory, I multi-task with ease and web pages load much more quickly.
I have had my Dell for about nine months now, and I haven't had any major problems. Actually, the only problem I have encountered is the quirky floppy drive. However, since I have a CD-RW, I rarely, if ever, have a need to use the floppy.
I didn't purchase the monitor because I already had a good one to use. I received an offer for a free upgrade to a CD-RW, and it works great! My wife loves to copy songs to compact discs with it. By default, this pc came without a floppy drive, but I added one for only five dollars. It's a little quirky so I recommend buying your own floppy drive and installing it yourself if you desire one.
This Dell came with all the required parts, cables and documentation. I hooked everything up, and it worked perfectly right out of the box! All the software was loaded and ready to go! The harman/kardon speakers are great. The keyboard and mouse I got are standard, no frills, but that's the way I like them, and they work great.
Now as I rave about this pc, remember it is an entry level computer. For the average home user, it is great. However, if you are a gamer, you'll probably want a pc with more memory, a better video card and better sound card. However, there is a free memory slot, which allows you to add an additional 128mb of memory or more easily. Business and power users should probably buy a more powerful pc as well.
Generally, this pc is pretty fast. However, when performing multiple tasks at once, I do notice a bit of a slowdown. As soon as I get around to throwing another 128mb chip in there, I expect it to perform much faster.
This pc comes with a good network card. This is needed for high speed connections. I use cable access for the Internet, and my speed on the Internet is great!
Also, I absolutely love the 6 usb ports. This allows you to easily connect multiple peripherals to your computer. Two of the usb ports are located in the front of the pc for added convenience. I love to use one of the front ports for downloading pictures from my digital camera!
My version came with a 30gig 5200rpm hard drive. This is adequate for myself and most users. I haven't even used half of the hard drive space yet. However, if you store many files such as songs or movies on your hard drive, consider upgrading to a larger hard drive. Also, upgrading to a hard drive with higher rpm will speed disk access. Dell's website makes it easy to upgrade and customize certain aspects of this computer. Stay tuned for my upcoming review of Dell's website!
I haven't had to use tech support. For this reason and the fact I've only heard good things about Dell's tech support, I give them an excellent rating in this department.
As a last note, I took the cover off the computer when I got it. I was happy to find that this computer is equipped with an excellent cooling system. This is very important in terms of a computer's longevity. Also, the tower is relatively small, but it doesn't look like it would be very difficult to work in if necessary.
Oh, and one more thing, this computer is awfully pretty!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400.00
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Celeron
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: CD-RW
Hard Drive (GB): 21-30
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Epinions.com ID:
techiejoe
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Member: Joseph Overholser
Location: Bellbrook, OH
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Microsoft Certified Professional, A+ Certified PC Technician
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